making our district safer

MAKING OUR DISTRICTSAFER

SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICTAnnual Report 2018/19

Making our district a safer place to live for over quarter of a century.

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SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICTAnnual Report 2018/19

Making our district a safer place to live for over quarter of a century.

SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT / 3

4 Chairperson’s Report

5 General Manager’s Report

7 About Safer Ashburton

9 Structure

12 Trustees

14 Our Services

18 Our People

24 Financial Statements

Entity Information

Approval of Financial Report

Statement of Service Performance

Statement of Financial Performance

Statement of Financial Position

Statement of Cash Flow

Statement of Accounting Policy

Notes to the Performance Report

Independent Auditor’s Report

CONTENTS

There has been a lot of growth within the organisation, through gaining Safe Communities accreditation on behalf of the district, and obtaining funding commitments for the new Lives Worth Living service. A lot of hard work has gone into both projects and I would like to congratulate everybody involved in these milestones.

Achieving Safe Communities accreditation in May 2019 for the district was momentous. It brought together 27 different agencies from across the community to collaborate on reducing injury and crime and enhance overall safety. I have been chairing the steering group meetings and it has been incredible watching everybody come together and show a real dedication to achieving the goals set out in the Safe Communities Ashburton District Strategic Plan, 2019-2024. The Safe Communities Foundation review team visited Ashburton as part of the accreditation process. It was a pleasure to show them around our town and highlight what’s working well for us.

I would like to congratulate Kevin and everyone who worked quickly to respond to the growing issue of suicide by developing a business case for the Lives Worth Living project. I am delighted to say that the project has secured the funding required for it to run for the next few years. This is an outstanding result and the level of funding will be crucial in implementing positive, long term change. We’re looking forward to filling the position and adding another skilled staff member to the Safer Ashburton team.

I would like to acknowledge and thank our longest serving board member, John Leadley, who is stepping down after more than 20 years of service to the organisation. His insight has helped to guide the organisation and we will miss his contributions. I also want to thank Senior Sergeant Phil Dean for his time on our board while he was based in Ashburton. It is always valuable to have representation from front-line services such as the New Zealand Police.

All other services have delivered fantastic results in the last year. Of note, the Rural Drivers Licensing Scheme

SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT4 /

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

is achieving much higher than projected pass rates. Its team of volunteers has gone above and beyond in helping participants to gain their driving licences and build meaningful connections. The Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network is also growing well and is working with the Ashburton District Council on its Welcoming Communities initiative which is great to see.

As an organisation, Safer Ashburton is constantly changing and evolving to meet the complex needs of our community and responding to areas of need. Thank you to our funders for their continued support. I look forward to another great year and wish everyone involved in the organisation continued success.

It has been another successful year for Safer Ashburton, and I would like to start by thanking the hard-working staff; General Manager, Kevin Clifford; volunteers; our board members and trustees.

“As an organisation, Safer Ashburton is constantly changing and evolving to meet the complex needs of our community and responding to areas of need.”

Liz McMillanChairperson | July 2019

During John’s time on the Board, the organisation has seen a lot of changes and we have always appreciated his wisdom and guidance.

Safer Ashburton has achieved a significant amount in the last year that we are proud to share in this report.

We have received a record number of referrals for many of our services and our staff have worked incredibly hard to accommodate the additional demand. I would like to acknowledge the efforts they have made and thank them wholeheartedly. We have also welcomed several new members into our team and been able to significantly grow our capacity.

After considerable effort, Ashburton has been officially accredited as a Safe Community. We are very proud to have led this work, which included forming a steering group and developing a five-year action plan. A story about this features later in this Annual Report.

A long-term funding commitment has been secured for our new Lives Worth Living project to address suicide risk in our community. We identified the need for the service and put together a business case, which funders Trevor Wilson Charitable Trust and Mackenzie Charitable Foundation have come on board to support. We have received tremendous support from many spheres, particularly our local community, for the new role. The Mayfield County Lions, for example, generously donated proceeds from their charity golf match for this work. Other local funders have expressed interest in supporting the project and we hope to secure additional funding in the coming year. We are very grateful for this wonderful response, which bodes well for establishing the service over the next 12 months.

In the last 12 months, we have been doing some additional Supervised Access work outside Ashburton. Christchurch agencies have been struggling to meet the high level of

GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT

demand and the work has assisted us to generate more income for services in the Ashburton district.

I would like to thank the many funders who have supported us over the year. Their support and investment in us helps to make a significant difference in the lives of people across our community. We greatly appreciate it. I would also like to thank our growing team of volunteers. Their dedication enables us to continue providing outstanding services, particularly to young people and wh -anau within the resources that we have.

I look forward to another positive and successful year.

Welcome to the Safer Ashburton District 2018/19 Annual Report. I would like to thank our Board and Trustees for their contributions, in particular our wonderfully supportive Chair and also John Leadley who is stepping down after 24 years of governance.

“I would like to thank the many funders who have supported us over the year. Their support and investment in us helps to make a significant difference in the lives of people across our community. “

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Kevin CliffordGeneral Manager | July 2019

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When new immigrant Karina* arrived in New Zealand she only had a certain amount of time to have her Ukrainian drivers licence converted to a Kiwi one.

Living on a farm in Wakanui, and with a toddler, she was running out of time when she discovered the Rural Driver Licensing Scheme. The scheme, a partnership between Safer Ashburton District and the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust, provides free support, tuition and subsidised driving tests to newcomer/migrant women living in rural areas of the district.

Participants receive 18 hours of tuition across nine lessons at the Ashburton Learning Centre, where they study the road code and take online tests to prepare them for sitting their learners driver’s licence. Following that, they are matched with a trained volunteer driving mentor and attend two lessons a week until they are ready for their restricted licence test. They also receive two lessons with a professional driving instructor to ensure they are driving to a high standard before sitting the practical test. The test fees and tuition are subsidised by the programme. Because many of the women have young children, there are also volunteer child minders and a volunteer who is available to drive the participants into town if transport is a barrier.

Karina says one of the great things about the classes is the women make good friends that they keep in touch with once they have finished their study.

DRIVING TO SUCCESS


*Names and photos have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals

“It made me so much more confident. Now I’m not worried about myself and my family, thanks to driving lessons with my instructor and mentor who both helped me a lot,” she said.

After passing the testing required for converting a foreign licence to a New Zealand one, she is now able to drive unsupervised, giving her a lot more independence.

The Rural Driver Licensing Scheme saw more than 90% of participants successfully obtain their learners licence in the last 12 months. Those who have sat their practical exam have seen a 100% pass rate on their restricted or full licence practical tests. The scheme is made possible through funding from The Lotteries Commission, Advance Ashburton, The Lion Foundation, Ashburton District Council, The Ashburton Licensing Trust, COGs, The Community Trust Mid & South Canterbury, Ashburton Road Safety Council and the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust.

Since completing the programme, Karina has moved into town but still works full-time in Wakanui, and is able to drive herself there each morning.

OUR HISTORYSafer Ashburton has progressively grown since its inception in 1994 and now employs a wide range of staff across many programme areas. We also have volunteers supporting these programmes, alongside extensive community support and engagement with other agencies and providers across the district. Safer Ashburton is the largest locally-driven provider of community services in the Ashburton District.

We deliver programmes and services in response to community need, supporting vulnerable families, children, youth justice, adult offenders, and new migrants.

ABOUT SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICT

Safer Ashburton District is a non-profit community organisation that has

been operating as a charitable trust for more than 25 years. It provides free

and confidential social services for the Ashburton district community. Along

with delivering crime prevention projects, we prioritise the delivery of early

intervention programmes, to support and strengthen individuals and families.

We help people to make good choices, providing positive opportunities and

pathways for change.

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY AGENCIESSafer Ashburton also employs staff on behalf of other small,

non-profit organisations including the Mid Canterbury

Newcomers Network, Hype Youth Health Centre,

Neighbourhood Support, and Base Youth Centre. Staff for

these organisations report to their respective Trusts at a

governance level, and Safer Ashburton handles the day-to-

day management and employment of staff. The structure

of this relationship saves small organisations from having

to become employers; provides staff with the support and

direction of a larger organisation with robust policies and

procedures; and saves on administration overheads.

Earlier this year, we launched our brand-new Safer Ashburton District website to showcase the excellent and very diverse work our team does across the community.

We wanted a colourful and modern site that reflected our community focus and could be a one-stop hub of information about our services.

It was important to us to ensure our new website would work well with mobile devices and be built to last a long time. The site also incorporates a button to our givealittle page, where visitors can make a donation if they wish.

To keep content fresh and tell people more about the outcomes we achieve, we’ve been posting case studies to

NEW WEBSITEFOR SAFER ASHBURTON

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the site. Our Annual Reports and other resources, such as referral forms and volunteer application forms, are hosted on the website and can be downloaded.

The website also provides an online home for our Safe Communities work. It shares a space on the home page, highlighting that our organisation leads the Safe Communities accreditation work for the district. It also has its own address, safecommunitiesashburton.org.nz

On the website, we acknowledge the generosity of Safer Ashburton District funders and the organisations that have signed the Safe Communities charter.

Make sure you take a look by visiting saferashburton.org.nz

OUR STRUCTURE

The Ashburton Safer Community Council Trust Board (the Board) governs Safer Ashburton District. It is comprised of approximately 20 representatives at any one time, appointed in accordance with the Trust Deed. Board members are people in positions of community responsibility from within the Ashburton District. The Board sets Safer Ashburton’s strategic direction and ensures agencies share information and work together on partnered solutions.

The Board meets regularly and currently includes representatives from the following organisations:

• Ashburton College

• New Zealand Police

• Ashburton Community Alcohol and Drug Service

• Presbyterian Support (Pacific person’s representative)

• Ashburton District Council

• Mid Canterbury Principals Association

• Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children

• Rakaia Community Association

• Hakatere Marae

• St Vincent de Paul (older persons’ representative)

• Department of Corrections

• Methven Community Board

• Work and Income

• Ashburton Christian Ministers Association

• YMCA Mid and South Canterbury

Further to the Board are five Trustees, elected by the main Board. The Trustees meet monthly to handle the approval of financial reports and oversee the General Manager.

Safer Ashburton employs a full time General Manager, who reports to both the full Board and the Trustees. The Trustees Chair, who is always Chair of the full Board, oversees the General Manager.

The General Manager is responsible for the management of all staff employed by Safer Ashburton District.

A range of advisory groups with specialist skills offer support to staff in many of our programmes. The advisory groups enable strong links into the wider community and allow for responsive services to support community need.

We have 20 staff, working across 15 contract areas, delivering services in four locations in the community.


SAFE COMMUNITIES

Safe Communities is an internationally recognised model that brings together all sectors of the community in a coordinated and collaborative way to promote safety through:

• forming partnerships• managing risk• educating and informing• increasing community well-being and overall safety

Safer Ashburton District was supported by Ashburton District Council and ACC in leading the accreditation process. This work included employing a coordinator to organise a Steering Group and develop a strategic plan for the next five years. The Steering Group is made up of 27 agencies involved in a wide range of community safety activities, including education, first response, health, government departments and local social and community services.

From May 2018, the Steering Group met monthly until accreditation was achieved. Part of its role was to provide advice and support to the Safe Communities Coordinator in preparing the application document. The group formally signed a charter to guide its purpose and activities, and involved representatives from:

• ACC• Age Concern Ashburton• Ara Institute of Canterbury• Ashburton College• Ashburton Community Alcohol and Drug Service

(ACADS)• Ashburton District Council• Ashburton District Neighbourhood Support• Ashburton Ministers’ Association• Ashburton Town Watch Society • CCS Disability Action• Department of Corrections• Experience Mid Canterbury• Fire and Emergency NZ• Hakatere Marae• Mid Canterbury Principals’ Association• Mid Canterbury Provincial Rural Women New Zealand• New Zealand Police• Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children• Presbyterian Support Ashburton• Rakaia Community Association• Rural Support Trust Mid Canterbury

Our commitment to making the Ashburton District a safer place to live, work and play, was officially recognised by gaining accreditation as a Safe Community in May.

• Safer Ashburton District• Sport Canterbury• St John• Waitaha Primary Health• Work and Income/Ministry of Social Development• YMCA Mid Canterbury

The Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand noted that the Ashburton accreditation application was “a very good example of the implementation of the Safe Community model. As part of the robust application process Safe Communities Ashburton successfully demonstrated the implementation of community safety promotion initiatives within their six priority areas of rural safety, road safety, falls in older people, harm reduction/prevention (family harm; suicide prevention), alcohol/drugs and community safety, the environment (built; natural).”

Councillor Liz McMillan, Chair of the Safe Communities Ashburton District Steering Group, said while there were a number of community safety networks in Ashburton, they tended to have a singular focus with many agencies operating alone in promoting safety initiatives. The Steering Group provided an opportunity to take a district-wide, strategic overview, and to collectively identify and begin to address community safety issues.

New Zealand currently has 39 accredited Safe Communities.


SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICT

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE


SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICT

STATISTICSAT A GLANCE


Our TrusteesOUR TRUSTEES


Liz McMillanChair of Board

John Leadley

Jeanette Tarbotton

Max Cawte

Russell Ellis

Don McLeodChair of Trustees

Liz was elected as the Board Chairperson, following her appointment to the Board as Ashburton District Council’s representative in September 2017. Liz is a first term Ashburton District Councillor and was previously the chairperson of the Methven Community Board. She was chair for six of her nine years on the Community Board.

Don has been a Safer Ashburton District Board member for seven years, including several years as the Board chairperson. He is a former secondary school principal and former Ashburton District Councillor, who has a strong interest in people and the community. He is also a board member for Ashburton Community Alcohol and Drug Service (ACADS), Community House Mid Canterbury, and Neighbourhood Support.

John has been part of Safer Ashburton District since 1995 and has played an active role in the community since retiring from his farm in Wakanui. He spent 27 years as a District Councillor, 12 years as Deputy Mayor, and holds key roles with the Rotary Club of Ashburton and the New Zealand Heart Foundation. John resigned from the Board in May 2019 after 24 years in governance.

Max is the managing director of Ashburton Powdercoating and has been contributing his skills and knowledge to Safer Ashburton District for more than 10 years, including six as a trustee. He is a long-term member of the Ashburton Lions Club, which includes a period as President.

Jeanette has a long history of community involvement in Mid Canterbury and is a representative of the local chapter of Age Concern, which works in the interests of elderly residents. She has also been involved with Federated Farmers, Rural Women New Zealand, and the Ashburton Lions Club.

Russell joined the Safer Ashburton District board in 2015 as an Ashburton District Council representative. He is a District Councillor and local business owner committed to community wellbeing. He is involved with the Ashburton Youth Council, and is motivated to support Safer Ashburton District in improving the lives and outcomes of people in the community.

Catherine was 13 years old when she was referred to Youth Support, after moving to the Ashburton district to live with her father.

Her parents had been involved in a custody battle in which Catherine felt her wishes had not been acknowledged. She and her sister were sent to live with her father, leaving her feeling disempowered and hurt as she struggled to understand why her parents had not taken into account what she wanted.

This was especially hard for her when her mother moved to Australia.

When Catherine was referred to Youth Support, she was initially hesitant about the process. But after the service’s coordinator explained how they would work together on what she needed, she opened up. Youth Support assisted her by arranging a meeting with a lawyer for the Child. This meeting was hugely beneficial for Catherine who felt she was then able to understand why the decision was made to send her and her sister to live with their father. Afterwards, Catherine began to settle in with her father and found that she enjoyed living with her step family. Having regular meetings with Youth Support allowed Catherine to build her confidence.

This was especially useful in helping her to articulate her thoughts and feelings about keeping both her parents

A BRIGHT FUTURE


happy. After three months of weekly meetings with Youth Support, who also helped her to settle into her new school, Catherine decided to remain in Ashburton to continue her education. She also completed the eight-week BeYoutiful Programme and has been looking at what her future career might be.

Now comfortable and confident at home and in her community, Catherine’s ability to self-reflect and express her feelings has greatly improved her happiness. She has even set herself some goals, which have included joining her high school netball team and applying for jobs. Youth Support has continued to work alongside her and will continue to assist her in consulting with her lawyer and articulating her feelings to both her parents.

Catherine’s growth in confidence and ability to communicate have been the success in her story, the Youth Support coordinator says. “From initially feeling unhappy and disempowered, she is now confident that her voice can be heard.”


OUR SERVICESYOUTH SUPPORTWHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton provides a one-on-one support service for young people and their families to target issues that are creating obstacles in young people’s lives. This service has been operating in the Ashburton District for eleven years. Youth Support Workers, together with young people, develop an action plan and a timeline for achievement.

THIS YEAR Over the past year, we received many referrals, picking up and working with 28 young people over the year. To free up staff time to work on Children’s Team referrals, we had to on-refer some additional referrals to other agencies.

COMMUNITY YOUTH PROGRAMMEWHAT WE DO The Community Youth programme has been providing young offenders and those at risk of offending with positive alternatives since 2010. Young people entering the youth justice system (generally for lower level offending) are referred to us, so that we can support them to engage in positive activity and ultimately halt their offending.

THIS YEAR Staff working in this service have been busy this year with 14 referrals. This is an increase of three from last year. Most young people on this programme have successfully made changes to their lives, which is positive for our community.

SUPERVISION WITH ACTIVITY WHAT WE DO Supervision with Activity is a new contract area for our organisation. It has been operating since 2018. This contract is aimed at higher level youth offenders and is an intervention that sits just prior to a residential sentence, or is a mandated intervention for a youth offender leaving a residential environment and returning to the community. It is an intensive service, where staff may spend up to 20 hours per week with an offender, engaging them in positive activity with a view to halting their offending.

THIS YEAR Staff working in this service have received referrals for and worked with two young people. The young people were high volume offenders and we are pleased to report that they have not been charged with further offences, since we started working with them.

SUPPORTED BAILWHAT WE DO Supported Bail is another contract area for our organisation that began operating in 2018. This contract is aimed at providing intensive support for young people, who have been charged with an offence and have been bailed back to an address in our district, awaiting sentencing. Our role is to ensure they meet bail conditions and don’t reoffend while on bail.

THIS YEAR We received one referral for this service in the last 12 months.

CACTUS (Combined Adolescent Challenge Training Unit & Support)WHAT WE DO CACTUS supports young people to discover their inner strengths and their abilities to reach their potential. Activities promote self-esteem, confidence and physical fitness. Each course is followed by an overnight camp to introduce participants to new camping and bush skills, and also to celebrate their achievements throughout the course. A five-day advanced course is also run each summer for those who have excelled in the basic courses.

THIS YEAR In the past year, 48 young people have taken part in the CACTUS programme in Ashburton. We also provided support to the Methven programme and a number of participants will soon take part in the CACTUS Advanced Course. This course has remained very popular in the 13 years it has been running.

S.E.E.D.S (Sharing Everyday Experiences and Drawing on Skills)WHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton has been operating the S.E.E.D.S service for nine years. S.E.E.D.S is a free family wellbeing programme targeting families with pre-schoolers. Families needing support are matched with a trained volunteer, who comes in to the family’s home environment, teaching practical parenting and household skills. Volunteers are trained in techniques to reduce stress and to improve the confidence of young families. Practical skills shared include parenting routines, time management, handling stress, child health and well-being, nutrition, menu planning, cooking and baking, budgeting, sewing and garment repairs, housekeeping, and hygiene.

THIS YEAR Over the past year, we have received 38 referrals to this service, which is at the same level as last year and 13 more than our contract allows. This service remains busy with referrals coming in from a range of agencies. Our ability to handle the increased workload is only possible due to the significant contribution of our many dedicated volunteers.

RESOURCE WORKERSWHAT WE DO Over the past two years, Safer Ashburton has begun employing resource workers to support various projects and carry out short term contracts. We often get asked to carry out a piece of work over the short term, such as supporting a child back into education or providing support around other community interventions. Rather than constantly trying to find staff for short term work at short notice, we now work to create more permanent positions, so we can respond to these requests.


THIS YEAR In the last 12 months, we have had additional work from Oranga Tamariki. This has largely involved assisting social workers with activities such as transporting and supporting clients. We have also had short term contracts from the Ministry of Education Intensive Wrap Around Service supporting individual young people back into school after long absences. We have averaged around 25 hours per week of staff time over the last year in fulfilling these contracts.

CHILDREN’S TEAMWHAT WE DO This initiative aims to put higher level interventions in place for young people and their families to ensure they get the level of support they need. Children are referred to a lead professional who heads the intervention, wrapping a team around the young person. The team is made up of professionals from a host of services. These are high level interventions requiring significant work from the lead professional. They are hoped to reduce referrals to Oranga Tamariki, The Ministry for Children.

THIS YEAR Over the past year, we have worked with two referrals. Our role has involved two staff intensively supporting two children over the year. Both children have come a long way and may transition out of the service soon (there are no prescribed end dates for these interventions). This will free up capacity for two more referrals.

SUPERVISED ACCESSWHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton has provided a supervised access service since 2013, for children who are not in their parents’ care. This is part of a contract with Oranga Tamariki. Staff oversee and monitor visits, ensuring appropriate behaviour and child safety. Our most skilled staff work in this area, due to the difficulty and complexity involved in many situations.

THIS YEAR This service remains steady with several families requiring it most weeks. Over the past year we have received referrals regarding 18 families. In addition to the contract we have with Oranga Tamariki, we have recently become a court approved provider of supervised contact services, with one referral coming in to date.

ATTENDANCE SERVICESWHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton has delivered Attendance Services in the Ashburton District since 2002. This service aims to improve the school attendance of children and young people by working with families, schools, and other groups. Truancy can be due to a range of factors, and our attendance officers assist young people and families to get the support they need.

THIS YEAR Over the past year we received 98 referrals for non-attending students. The young people that we work with were generally referred to us for non-enrolment,

unjustified absence from school for more than 20 days or an attendance level below 80 percent.

FAMILIES WITHOUT VIOLENCE NETWORKWHAT WE DO The Families Without Violence Network was formed 11 years ago in response to increasing levels of family violence. The Families Without Violence coordinator promotes the prevention and awareness of family violence within the Ashburton District community. We develop resources to help victims and offenders access information and assistance. We also run activities and events to promote awareness of family violence and create avenues for support. The Coordinator also brings agencies together, to work collectively in reducing family violence in our district.

THIS YEAR Safer Ashburton met all contractual outcomes for this network. We coordinated another successful White Ribbon campaign that included our annual quiz night and supporting the White Ribbon Riders who visited two local primary schools. We also hosted our first White Ribbon Inspirational Breakfast, conducted a community survey about potential future campaigns, and ran a successful project for Elder Abuse Awareness Week.

SAFE COMMUNITIESWHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton has taken the lead on working towards Safe Communities accreditation. Safe Communities is an all of community approach to developing a plan for the district, that aims to reduce injury and enhance safety, across a range of areas within our community. Thirty nine districts in New Zealand have obtained Safe Communities accreditation under the Safe Communities Federation of New Zealand. All have reported an increase in interventions and activities, an increase in external funding and improved safety within their communities.

THIS YEAR The past year was our first full year of working toward achieving Safe Communities Accreditation. Over the year, we brought together 27 organisations and agencies from across the district to work on the Safe Communities Business Plan that was required to gain accreditation. These agencies and organisation signed a charter committing themselves to work collectively toward achieving the goals outlined in the plan. The plan was submitted to the NZ Safe Communities Foundation and in May 2019 we gained accreditation as a Safe Community.

PROJECT TURNAROUND ASHBURTON ADULT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SERVICEWHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton District has delivered Restorative Justice Services in the Ashburton District Court since this initiative was first established 20 years


OUR SERVICES CONTINUED

ago. When a person appears in court charged with an offence, the Judge may refer them to the Restorative Justice service post sentence, if they have pleaded guilty to the offence they are charged with. The process involves a pre-conference with the offender and victim, before a conference between both parties, where the harm is addressed and various plans and actions are agreed upon. A detailed report then goes back to the judge to be considered when the offender is sentenced. Restorative Justice plans address reparation, penalty, treatment, and education.

THIS YEAR Over the past year, we received 91 referrals for Restorative Justice, 41 lower than last year, which reflects a drop in crime in our community. Of these referrals, 35 were for family violence offences, with 56 being standard offences.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMEWHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton runs the Children’s Programme over the Christmas school holidays. This programme focuses on working with at-risk children aged 5 to 10 years. The programme is module-based and covers specific topics such as bullying, personal safety, fear, depression, friendship, and life skills. The programme delivery is age-specific, so children are arranged into their peer groups when attending.

THIS YEAR Twenty five children were referred to us this year. The referrals generally came from organisations who were working with their families. We often support the younger siblings of older children who are engaged with other services.

ROCK ON (Reduce Our Community Kids Offending Now)WHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton introduced the ROCK ON initiative in 2015. ROCK ON is an inter-agency, community-funded initiative which identifies and targets local young people with significant school attendance issues. The aim is to reduce youth offending rates in our local community.

THIS YEAR Over the past year, we have worked intensively with ten young people and their families, putting quality supports in place to encourage them back into regular education.

COMMUNITY SERVICE SUPPORTWHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton works in close partnership with a number of smaller trusts operating in our district. The support we provide generally involves the employment and day-to-day oversight of coordinators of various projects in our community. We see this as a great way to reduce overheads and workloads for small volunteer trusts. Managing employees can be time-consuming for small organisations and can involve the creation of

processes and policies; health and safety protocols; day to day monitoring; and reviews.

THIS YEAR In the last year, we have worked with a range of organisations providing support in various ways. Agencies have included Hype Youth Health Centre, Neighbourhood Support Ashburton District, Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network, Base Youth Centre, and The Rural Support Trust.

COURT SUPERVISED CONTACTWHAT WE DO Safer Ashburton District has now become a Court approved provider of Court Supervised Contact Services. We receive referrals from the court to undertake an assessment to see if it is appropriate for Supervised Contact to take place if a parent has lost access rights due to a parenting order that awards custody to the other parent. If it is appropriate for access to take place and we can reach a contractual agreement between parties, we arrange, oversee and monitor visits, ensuring appropriate behaviour and child safety.

THIS YEAR This service has been busy with 20 referrals coming in over the past year. The work is very intensive and can take place over an extended period with reports going back to court on a regular basis. Around half of our work this year has been referrals for Christchurch based clients due to the level of demand in Christchurch and lack of service providers. We have been able to make a profit on the Christchurch based work which has been used to increase some of the work we have been carrying out in the Ashburton district.


OUR SERVICES CONTINUED

ACCESSING THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS When Kristen* and Rangi’s* relationship dissolved their daughter became the subject of a bitter battle for custody.

The parents refused to communicate and became highly critical of each other. Things between them came to boiling point when they began to engage in a custody battle over their three-year-old daughter, Awhina*. Kristen was trying to prevent Rangi from seeing Awhina and was willing to go to a court hearing to enforce this. Rangi was fighting back and trying to obtain full custody. Before the hearing took place, they were referred to the Supervised Access programme.

Safer Ashburton has provided Supervised Access since 2013 as part of a contract with Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children. Skilled staff oversee and monitor visits between parents and children that are not in their care. Referrals to the service may also come from the court.

Over the course of three months, the Supervised Access coordinator would be present during Rangi’s visits and worked with both parents to find a solution for access to Awhina. Kristen was encouraged to try and find a workable compromise that would allow Rangi to have unsupervised contact as the court was not likely to rule in her favour.

On the first day of the hearing, Kristen proposed an arrangement in which Rangi would have regular visits with his daughter. He accepted and the hearing was concluded


earlier than scheduled without any further animosity.

Since their involvement with Supervised Access, Kristen and Rangi have both moved out of the district and are amicably resolving their issues with one another. Rangi is able to see Awhina regularly and even has her for overnight stays. Things are going well and most importantly, Awhina is able to spend time with both her parents.


OUR PEOPLE

Kevin Clifford

Toni Sowman

Anna Arrowsmith

Katrina Ward

Jenny Reed

Kevin has been the General Manager of Safer Ashburton for 13 years. His favourite part of his job is working with people who are dedicated to helping others, and the enjoyment of making a difference in people’s lives. Kevin is also involved with a number of other community boards and trusts, and is an active community volunteer. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys spending time with his family.

Jenny is a Senior Youth Worker with Safer Ashburton. Jenny has been with Safer Ashburton for seven years, previously as an Attendance Officer. Jenny loves the outdoors and in the weekends can be found hiking or spending time with her children.

Toni runs the Restorative Justice programme. She has also previously worked in an Attendance Services role. Her passion for helping people in need is complemented by her background with NZ Police. In her spare time, Toni loves spending time with family, playing hockey, pounding the pavement, and buying shoes.

Katrina previously worked for Safer Ashburton in the role of Strengthening Families Coordinator. This role came to an end in the 16/17 financial year. After working in other areas for the past year, Katrina has returned to coordinate the Base Youth Centre. Katrina has two adult children and several grandchildren, and enjoys cooking and gardening.

Anna is the Youth Justice Worker and Families Without Violence Coordinator. She previously coordinated the S.E.E.D.S programme for three years. Anna’s qualifications and background are in psychology and counselling. Born and bred in Ashburton, Anna enjoys being a part of our close community and all that it has to offer. In her spare time she enjoys reading and being with her husband and children.


Marie McAnulty

Marie has been the S.E.E.D.S Coordinator since 2014 and is also a Community Safety Ambassador. Originally from Masterton, Marie managed Supergrans Wairarapa. Marie is involved with a number of clubs in Ashburton. She enjoys travelling overseas, exploring the South Island, and sport (and is still a Hurricanes supporter!).

Christine Richards

Christine is the Neighbourhood Support Coordinator at Safer Ashburton, encouraging local communities to stay safe and support each other. Christine has lived in Ashburton all her life, has a background in social work and is passionate about working in the community. Her interests include swimming, line-dancing, photography, family history, and travel.

Rae Magson Mary Bailey

Keri Kuru

Keri recently joined the Safer Ashburton team as our CACTUS Co-ordinator. CACTUS is an adventure based programme for 10-14 year olds.

Keri enjoys spending time with her wh -anau and friends. She is also a keen traveller, gym goer and outdoor adventurer. Keri has a passion to see young people achieving and is enjoying the challenge of her new role.

Rae is the Minute Secretary for Safer Ashburton. This is a role that Rae fulfils for a range of organisations and boards around Ashburton.

Mary is our Administration Officer and has been with Safer Ashburton for five years. Her duties include data entry for Neighbourhood Support and Restorative Justice – as well as anything else that pops up in the meantime! Mary is also our Health and Safety Officer. Her hobbies include reading and baking.


Brad Raukawa

Adi Avnit

Brad joined the Safer Ashburton team last year as the youth justice worker. He has spent the past 12 years doing youth support work in a variety of ways including supporting high risk youth, church groups, sporting clubs, and schools. He has a passion for helping young people achieve goals that will direct their lives in a positive and empowering way. He and his wife have three children and outside of work Brad enjoys spending time outdoors, hunting, tramping, attending his local church, and growing food.

Adi has been the coordinator of the Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network since October 2017. As a migrant and newcomer to Ashburton himself (he is originally from Israel), Adi is keen on helping other newcomers with information, building connections, and promoting multi-cultural activities in the Ashburton District. His interests include technology (he used to be a software developer), science, and social activities with friends.

OUR PEOPLE CONTINUED

Sheree Kershaw

Tayla Wright

Tayla is a Children’s Programme Coordinator working with children aged 5- 12yrs during the summer holidays. She has volunteered with the CACTUS programme for five years as a peer support leader. She was runner up in the Canterbury Youth Awards and is a recipient of the TrustPower Community Awards Youth Spirit Award for her volunteer contributions in Ashburton. Tayla enjoys supporting young people and loves the outdoors including hiking, camping, and swimming.

Sheree has been the Coordinator of the HYPE Youth Health Centre since November 2017. She has a background in teaching, psychology and mental health. Sheree is passionate about helping youth access health and other community services they need and supporting them on their road to wellbeing. Her interests include spending time with her family, walking and enjoying the outdoors.


Tania King

Maddie Reed

Maddie is our Children’s Programme Coordinator, working with children aged 5 – 12 years for three weeks during the summer school holidays. Maddie has previous experience working with children at an after school programme, and will be starting her Bachelor of Nursing studies in 2019. In her spare time she enjoys skiing, playing competitive netball, fitness training and nutrition.

Tania has been a Resource Worker at Safer Ashburton since earlier this year. She has also been a SEEDS Volunteer for almost seven years. Tania enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with family.


Kim Hamill

Bronnie Booth-McKenna

Bronnie is one of our Restorative Justice Facilitators. She has been involved in all sorts of people-based roles, from being a teacher aide and advocate for mental health, to a sports coach and health and safety officer. In her spare time she is a Mum, wife, a cattery owner and an avid sideline supporter of her children’s sports and theatre.

Safer Ashburton District contracts Nimba to look after our day to day finances, payroll and reporting. This provides us with the security of knowing we have Kim and her team looking after our financial comings and goings.

Wendy Hewitt

Wendy Hewitt is the Coordinator for the Rural Driver Licensing Scheme. She has a strong background in the dairy industry as a dairy farmer and in the agri sales sector. She also provides mentoring/support for young agricultural students. In her spare time, Wendy enjoys gardening and spending time with her family.


Camilla Knight

Camilla volunteered her time at Base Youth Centre to the BeYoutiful girls programme in 2017/18 and is now employed as our Support Worker. She has been working with at risk young people for the past 14 years, helping them overcome barriers and provide both educational and vocational opportunities. Camilla has two adult children and loves art and crafts. She has a special interest in jewellery making.


Stephanie Doig

Stephanie was employed by Safer Ashburton at the start of the financial year, on behalf of the Hauora Ashburton District Community Action Leadership Group, to coordinate the work of the group.

Lesley Symington

Lesley is the Safe Communities Coordinator and has been in the role for a year. The Safe Communities project aims to address safety areas of concern for the District (e.g. falls in older people) by agencies pooling their skills and resources to devise solutions. Lesley has a background in local government community services and enjoys developing programmes and initiatives to help people. In her spare time, she enjoys walks with her dog, wine, antiquing, reading and travel.

Struan Duthie

Struan started working at Safer Ashburton as Attendance Officer in September 2018. He has worked as a counsellor for more than 30 years and an Anglican Priest for nearly 50.

Struan maintains a private counselling practice in the afternoons and when he has spare time his interests range from travelling, camping and tramping to reading and writing. He loves debating and discussing the insights he has gained working with people, and plans to eventually put these into a book.

FIN

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PERFORMANCE REPORTS

2019

White Ribbon Quiz Night - Ashburton Hospital team

Safe Communities accreditation ceremony

Rural Driver Licensing Scheme Rural Driver Licensing Scheme participants

White Ribbon Day float at Ashburton Christmas Parade

CACTUS Participants

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPORTS

SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT24 / / 25SAFER ASHBURTON DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT

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28

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31

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36

41

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44 Cass StreetAshburton

Mid CanterburyNew Zealand

E [email protected] 03 308 1395

saferashburton.org.nz

making our district safer

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